Report on Characteristics of Highway Coaches

For the benefit of my department and those who are not familiar with the characteristics of highway passenger coaches like the ones Greyhound uses in its daily line haul services as well as charter and tour coaches, I have prepared a 4 page report(can be added to) about some of the characteristics of this type of bus that firefighters and rescue personnel not familiar with this type of passenger carrying vehicle should know in event forceable entry into one is necessary for rescue operations. Here are a couple examples. One, any fire that breaks out aboard one of these buses is most likely to originate in the rear of the bus where the engine compartment is located and/or the rear wheel wells, where overheated wheel bearings and blowing tires are known to have caused problems as well. Another is that many of the new coaches commonly used are 40 and 45 feet long and seat up to 57 passengers. On these the wiring is routed so close to the engine and other heat sources that a fire is more likely to break out as a result of wiring making contact with heat sources and shorting out. The shorter 35 foot coach has all but disappeared from regular line use on most US carriers operating highway cruiser type buses. These buses are constructed much heavier than either a school bus or urban transit bus, so any department that needs to cut one open for rescue purposes needs to be prepared for this and have cutting tools strong and powerful enough to cut the bus apart if necessary. I prepare these and other such reports for one purpose and one purpose only- to aid my department in rescue efforts by providing information based on my own personal knowledge of railroading and transportation, of what they may be dealing with. It's my way of contributing to my department even though due to injury, I am unable to fight fires. They were there when I needed them and I thought that the gift that keeps on giving is the best way I could think of to give back to my hometown department.